REGINA - Many students in Saskatchewan schools will be heading home early on Thursday, due to the Saskatchewan Teachers’ Federation job action to withdraw from noon hour supervision that day.
Schools in Regina and Saskatoon are set to dismiss their students early on Thursday, Feb. 8. due to the latest job action. Here is a look at what to expect in the various school divisions that day.
Regina Public Schools has sent a letter to parents confirming the school day is being shortened Thursday. Students will be dismissed at noon in elementary schools and 1 p.m. in high schools.
The elementary school schedule on Thursday will see a regular start time until noon with in class instruction. At noon, students must leave the school. Schools will not be open for students during the afternoon.
From 2 p.m. to 3:25 p.m. there will be access to teachers via email, Edsby or prearranged phone call.
The High School schedule will compress to a five-day period (no advisory) in the morning as follows:
7:35 a.m. to 8:25 a.m.: EARLY BIRD CLASS (if currently scheduled)
8:30 a.m. to 9:20 a.m.: Period one.
9:25 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.: Period two.
10:20 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.: Period three.
11:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m.: Period four.
12:10 p.m. to 1 p.m.: Period five.
1 p.m. Students must leave the school. Schools will not be open for students during the afternoon.
2-3 p.m.: access to teachers via email, Edsby or prearranged phone call.
Due to the shortened day, end of day transportation will begin just prior to early dismissal. School age care programs will operate, as usual, in the morning, but will be cancelled in the afternoon. All trips, band, CRP and bus charters are cancelled.
Regina Catholic School Division schools are reporting that they will be open on Feb. 8 and the start time does not change, but the school end will change for the majority of students. Further details were expected to be communicated to students earlier this afternoon.
The school division states on their website: “RCSD’s senior administration developed this contingency plan for the withdrawal of noon-hour supervision in consideration of the approximately two hundred supervision spots covered daily by STF members. Our plan was informed by our commitment to the safety of our students and staff, respect for instructional time, and minimizing disruption to families."
Saskatoon Public Schools has posted their plans for Thursday on their website. For elementary schools they are as follows:
- All elementary schools will be closed at lunch.
- School lunch period schedules may be adjusted to ensure student safety. Individual school schedules have been shared with parents, caregivers and families in letters sent out today.
- Students who are currently bused to school will be bused home at lunch unless alternate arrangements have been made by parents, caregivers and families.
- There will be no bus service at the end of the school day.
- Half-day pre-kindergarten and half-day kindergarten programming will continue with no changes.
- Before and afterschool programs located in the school will continue to operate on Thursday.
There are two learning options for elementary students that day: one is return to school after lunch, at the scheduled time, for in-school learning. Students who stay home for the afternoon, after lunch dismissal, will be provided take-home learning materials and resources, either paper or online through Edsby, to complete at home.
For high schools:
- All collegiates will implement their regular shortened Thursday schedule.
- Students will be dismissed at the regular shortened Thursday schedule time in all collegiates.
- For students at Aden Bowman, Estey, Mount Royal, Nutana and Walter Murray collegiates a shortened Thursday schedule was planned in their calendar for staff meeting purposes. This will continue.
- For students at Bedford Road, Centennial, Evan Hardy, Marion M. Graham and Tommy Douglas collegiates: A regular school day was planned Thursday, however, it will now be a shortened Thursday schedule.
- Students will have the opportunity to return to school in the afternoon for learning support, or they may also choose to stay home for the afternoon and work on assigned materials,
Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools have announced the following modified daily schedule for Thursday:
Elementary schools:
- Morning in-school learning: Classroom learning will be held in the morning. The schedule of periods/classes may be altered.
- Schools will be closed during lunch periods: There will be no noon lunch supervision. All students must leave the school and school grounds.
- Dismissal at lunch will be up to 30 minutes earlier than normally scheduled. Bus and taxi schedules will be adjusted, with buses to pick up students approximately 15 - 30 minutes before lunch to ensure students are not left unsupervised. There will be no end-of-day bus service.
- For the afternoon work period, students will receive learning packages (either electronically through Edsby or handouts) based on their morning learning, and the afternoon will be a work period.
- Students able to return to school are encouraged to do so for the afternoon. Teachers will be available for help and support.Students unable to make it back to school will work from home on the material. Teachers may not be able to provide help or respond to messages, as they will be engaged in helping students at the school.
- Half-day pre-kindergarten programming will continue, and before and after school programs will continue.
High Schools:
- Feb. 8 is already a scheduled shortened Thursday PLD.
- Students will attend their morning instruction as usual; the schedule will be modified to ensure students have enough time to leave the building at lunch.
- All students must leave the school property; there is no noon lunch supervision.
- Special education bus and taxi schedules will be adjusted: students will be picked-up as much as 30 minutes before lunch to ensure students are not left unsupervised. Schools will communicate specific times. Saskatoon Transit schedules will not change.
For all school divisions in the two major cities, regular schedules resume Friday, Feb. 9.
